For the Love of History - world history, women’s history, weird history

• Sexpionage and the Cold War: Russia’s Real-Life Honey Trap School

  Was Red Sparrow just a steamy spy thriller—or was it based on something real? In this episode, we dive deep into the Cold War’s most seductive secret: Russia’s alleged Sparrow School, where young agents were allegedly trained in sexpionage to seduce and spy on targets across the globe. From blackmail, honey traps, and sparrows in sexy lingerie to real operations that reached as far as the Obama administration (allegedly 👀), this episode uncovers the history behind the world’s most infamous spy seduction school. 🔑 What You’ll Learn What Sparrow School was and how it (allegedly) operated How sexpionage became a Cold War weapon The infamous case of Maurice Dejean and a “people liquidator” Famous sparrows like Anna Chapman and Soviet opera stars Why sex, spies, and power are still dangerously connected today Based near Kazan, Sparrow School allegedly trained spies in seduction, blackmail, and emotional manipulation Both men and women were trained—despite LGBTQ+ identities being criminalized in the USSR Honey traps were used to turn diplomats and ambassadors into informants Modern intelligence agencies still warn about Russian “sparrows” on dating apps today 💌 Love the show? Subscribe & leave a review Support the pod on Patreon for bonus episodes Share this episode with your James Bond-loving friend or your Tinder date (👀) Patreon  Instagram  Website TikTok Merch Store YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  --------  

  26:39
• Who Was Sappho? The Queer Greek Poet Who Changed History

  💌 Episode Summary Before Instagram poets and moody notebook scribbles, there was Sappho—the original lyric poet who set hearts (and historians) on fire. This week, we dive into the life, love, and legend-level drama of the Greek icon whose poems gave us longing, lyricism, and one of the best ancient bisexual panics in literary history. From inventing an entire genre of poetry to possibly being married to “a literal penis from the Island of Man” (thanks, trolls), Sappho’s legacy is powerful, poetic, and fiercely queer. Queer Creators and Historians to Follow lgbt_history taipeiqueen lesbianherstoryarchives onlinekyne ⏱️ What You’ll Hear Who was Sappho, really? What we know (and what’s been suspiciously erased) Lyric poetry 101 – How Sappho changed the entire game The gay panic of ancient scholars – Plato, Homer, and yes, Victorian dudes Her poetry of longing – Erotic, powerful, and absolutely not “just friendly” The fight for her legacy – From haters to historians to modern LGBTQIA+ orgs Why representation in history matters – Especially for young queer kids 📚 Quick Facts Born ~630 BCE on the island of Lesbos Credited with creating lyric poetry (think: personal, emotional, performed with a lyre) Wrote an Ode to Aphrodite—the only surviving full poem Widely believed to have been queer, though this was hotly denied for centuries Inspired organizations like Sappho for Equality, which still operates today 💥 Fun & Furious Details Scholars once claimed she was just a “schoolmistress” who trained wives. Others made up a fake husband named “Dick from Man Island” (yes, really). Her contemporaries called her the Poetess, the female Homer. Plato called her the Tenth Muse, despite hating poetry. Modern scholars finally started accepting her queerness in the 20th century. 🎙️ From Your Host, TK This episode is a love letter to the messy, powerful, poetic legacy of Sappho. She wasn’t just a woman who wrote poetry—she was a revolutionary voice who broke the mold, made people feel things, and still inspires generations today. Also, her poems? SPICY. 😳🌿 🚀 Want More? Subscribe to For the Love of History for weekly feminist deep dives Share this episode with your sapphic bestie or literary crush Support on Patreon for bonus episodes, early access, and sleepy history Merch? Toga? Blanket burrito? We gotchu. Instagram⁠  ⁠Website⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠Merch Store⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠⁠  Whether you’re a poet, a history nerd, or someone who’s just a sucker for ancient queer drama, Sappho’s story is one you don’t want to miss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  --------  

  27:01
• The Unlikely Spies | Author Interview with Mathew Goodman

  Ever heard of a spy duo in their 60s walking three Cocker Spaniels around Nazi-occupied Paris by day and running a secret escape line by night? No? Then buckle in. In this episode, TK interviews bestselling author Matthew Goodman about his riveting new book, *Paris Undercover*—a deep-dive into the true story of two real-life badass women who defied fascism during World War II. We talk about the historical detective work that uncovered the truth behind a bestselling memoir, the women erased from standard war narratives, and how even “elderly” ladies can outmaneuver the Gestapo. This isn’t your average WWII tale—it’s got espionage, pseudonyms, betrayal, friendship, and... waffles? 🕵️‍♀️The Hidden Heroines – Meet Etta and Kate, two women "of a certain age" who created an escape route across France to rescue Allied soldiers—without any training or backup. 📖 **Memoir vs. Reality** – Matthew uncovers that the popular wartime memoir *Paris Underground* wasn’t entirely factual—and wasn’t written by the woman who supposedly penned it. 🔍 Research as Spycraft– From sealed military archives in France to ghostwriters with ghostwriters, Matthew shares how pandemic-era sleuthing led to unexpected twists in the story. 📚 Narrative Nonfiction Gold – With a background in fiction and a passion for history, Matthew shows how using storytelling techniques can bring history to life *without* sacrificing accuracy. 🧠 Modern Parallels – We also explore how themes of resistance, misinformation, and female agency remain powerful and painfully relevant today. --- 💙💛Why You’ll Love This Episode: If you love juicy historical mysteries, stories of women who defy expectations, or just want to know how an Upper East Side widow ends up sneaking British pilots past Nazis, this episode is for you. --- 🎧 Listen if you’re into: - Hidden Figures of WWII - Feminist history - Narrative nonfiction and storytelling - Rewriting the historical record - Dogs. Obviously. 👋 Support the Show (and your inner nerd): 💬 Comment & subscribe if you're watching on YouTube! ⭐ Leave a rating or review on your favorite podcast app 📬 Share this episode with a history-loving bestie 💌 Join the Patreon crew for early access, bonus content & sleepy history episodes 🛍 Grab some podcast merch—because espionage looks better in a hoodie --- 🌐 Learn More About Matthew Goodman: 📚 [MatthewGoodmanBooks.com] (https://matthewgoodmanbooks.com/) – Browse his books, drop him an email, or snoop around his research journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  --------  

  46:12
• The Dressmakers of London | Fashion, Rationing, and Sisterhood in WWII with Julia Kelly

  Welcome, delicious donuts! 🍩 In this episode of For the Love of History, we’re unraveling the fascinating story behind The Dressmakers of London with award-winning author and Emmy-nominated journalist Julia Kelly. It's part historical deep-dive, part emotional sister saga, and 100% packed with nerdy joy — just how we like it. 🧵 What You’ll Learn: 💙How women navigated fashion rationing in WWII (spoiler: red lipstick was patriotic). 💙What it really meant to be conscripted as a woman in 1941. 💙The role of letters — the OG DMs — in wartime relationships. 💙Why class, fashion, femininity, and grief are intricately stitched together in this story. 💙Julia’s personal connection to sewing, vintage fashion, and the inspiration behind her characters. 💙An almost plotline in Egypt that got cut for historical accuracy! 📚 About the Book: The Dressmakers of London tells the story of two estranged sisters forced to run their late mother’s dress shop amid the chaos of WWII. With rationing, conscription, and buried trauma in the mix, this book weaves together personal loss, reconciliation, and the politics of fashion under fire. ✂️ Favorite Moments: 00:02:15 – Julia’s pivot from romance to historical fiction 00:04:20 – The dress shop inheritance and conscription twist 00:06:00 – Writing emotionally grounded history 00:12:30 – How fashion rationing reshaped femininity 00:20:00 – When fashion becomes politics: the Utility Clothing Order 00:25:00 – Stationery obsessions and letter-writing as wartime lifelines 00:34:00 – Why Egypt had to go, and Norfolk got the spotlight 🧵 Links & Where to Find Julia Kelly: 📚 Book: The Dressmakers of London 🌐 Website: juliakellywrites.com 📬 Newsletter: juliakellywrites.substack.com 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @JuliaKellyWrites ✉️ Your Turn! How would YOU spend your 66 clothing ration coupons in WWII? Dresses? Socks? Underwear? Sound off in the comments with your fave historical clothing facts or tell us when you last wrote a letter by hand! 🎙️ Like what you hear? Be sure to: 👍 Like this video 💬 Comment below (we respond!) 🔔 Subscribe for more world, women’s, and weird history 📝 Rate and review the pod — it’s the free 99 way to support indie history nerds everywhere! Instagram  Website TikTok Merch Store YouTube Patreon⁠  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  --------  

  49:31
• Caligula: Rome’s Most Unhinged Emperor (and His Floating Sex Boat)

  This week, we’re diving toga-first into the life and utter chaos of Caligula—the Roman emperor who ruled for just four years and made every single second a full-blown historical fever dream. From horse palaces and floating orgy boats to stabbing Poseidon and bullying his own guards, Caligula redefined what it meant to rule like a god (or at least think he was one). But was he really mad… or just the ultimate troll in a laurel wreath? This is Roman history at its weirdest—and honestly, its most fun. ⏱️ What You’ll Hear 00:02:00 – Who was Caligula really? And why did soldiers call him “Little Boots”? 00:06:00 – Roman power struggles, poisoned dads, and childhood trauma 00:08:00 – The golden-boy emperor everyone loved… until he got sick 00:11:00 – Enter: the villain era. Tormenting senators, gladiator cosplay, and birthday revenge 00:13:00 – Floating bridges, floating orgies, and Mussolini’s wild archaeological discovery 00:17:00 – Declaring war on the ocean and forcing soldiers to collect seashells 00:20:00 – The assassination that changed Roman history—and why the public still loved him 🤯 Why You’ll Love This Episode If you like: Ancient history with drama that rivals reality TV Stories of power, pettiness, and possible mental illness Tangents about orgy boats and emotionally sensitive dictators …this one’s for you. 🧠 Fun Facts You’ll Be Googling After This “Caligula” literally means Little Boots He once declared war on Poseidon and made his army stab the sea His orgy boats were real—and Mussolini found them He might have made it illegal to mention goats in front of him Caligula’s biographers: Suetonius and Cassius Dio Upcoming Patreon lecture: Samurai Ladies A love letter to weird history episodes past (yes, even the Pope excommunicating cats) This one is vintage For the Love of History—chaotic, messy, and full of weird Roman facts you’ll absolutely bring up at brunch. Thank you for helping me hit a new download record (!!!) and for being the best little history nerds on the internet. 💌 Call to Action If Caligula didn’t ban public affection, I won’t either. So please: Subscribe & review (mention your weirdest Roman fact!) Share with your favorite toga-wearing friends Support on Patreon for sleepy history, lectures, and more chaos Use code THANKYOU for free shipping on your merch (you earned it) Patreon  Instagram  Website TikTok Merch Store YouTube Don’t forget: drink your water, do something kind for yourself, and maybe don’t stab the sea today. Just a thought. 🐚 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  --------  

  28:59

More Comedy podcasts

Trending Comedy podcasts

About For the Love of History - world history, women’s history, weird history